Monday, April 29, 2024

April 29, 2024 Monday--5am

Good morning!

Well, the kitty litter saga continues.  We left you with her old stainless steel litter box being covered with the pine pellets.  It had a layer of her old litter underneath the pellets and she was using it.

Meanwhile, baby cottontail bunnies have parties on the patio every night.  It is too dark to get pictures most of the time.  There have been up to three bunnies at a time playing out there that I have seen.  They finish off the round orangish seed none of the birds seem to like much.
The new litter box arrived.
Really nice big box!
I didn't realize that the pellets Tidy Cat sells for these are PLASTIC.  That's why they need the pee pads underneath in that drawer.  But when you use the wood pellets, the pee turns the pellets into sawdust.  It truly is like a kitty compost toilet and that is why Dagan didn't need to use the pee pads.  Leah told me.  It isn't mentioned very clearly in the information online or on the box.  I can feel through the bags the pellets came in that they are hard as a rock and are likely plastic.  Anyways, I won't need to use the pee pads...which will save money.

I can't remember for sure what the full moon was called this month--(pink moon?)--but it was very bright.
Silly Allie still plays with her water.
I have seen no ants in the pantry for many days, but still have them in the bathroom where they first arrived.  I keep feeding them the peanut butter and borax.  Leah keeps forgetting to bring/send borax over.  What I have may be a little weak in proportions but I think it must be working...or just keeping them well fed--lol!

It has been so dark and cloudy out the partridges have been here during the day...
...and the baby bunnies, too!  


Been raining off and on since last Thursday night.  Supposed to likely continue through this Wednesday.  It is light and drizzly, but the whole world is greening up in delight.

Friday Dagan and the boys came by.  Dagan helped me switch the litter boxes and brought out all the trash for me.
I figured I was in the clear because Allie had been going in the box just fine with all the pellets in there--so I went for it.
Even got a new scooper.
Reviews said it worked with pellets.  And it really does.  The pellets can fall through the wider wire in the back really easily.
Allie pooped in the box on Saturday--woohoo!  

Meanwhile, I had an allergy week again.  But with all the rain it had settled down some by the weekend.  So, besides the usual cooking, baking, laundry, dishes, letters, and the like...I made it into the studio to play with some watercolors.  Just made multi-colored blobs and left them to dry.  Plan to doodle on them.
Then Sunday...the smell of cat poo drifted into the living room.  Good, I thought, and went to the pantry to scoop...nothing there in the new litter box!  Followed the scent...down the hallway...into the bedroom...
...and she had pooped under the table rather than in the new litter box!  
I cleaned and scrubbed it and sprayed with this zero odor spray I had left over from sick days with Karma and Annie before they passed.  Shut the door to the bedroom...
...and to the studio.
I took her old litter box that I hadn't scrubbed out yet and plopped it on the floor next to the new one.  If she misses it so badly so can use it bare.
Now I wondered if she peed anyplace else in the apartment?  I looked everywhere but didn't find any wet spots or smell anything.  But, then again, would I smell it with this runny nose?  Well, I could smell the poo--lol!  Will be easier to find after cutting her off from access to the bedroom and the studio.    

As you know I have written the weekly blog on Sundays to post early Monday mornings for a while now.  So it is actually Sunday afternoon as I am writing this.  I will be sure to update any developments on the litter saga before I go to bed.  

I do love cats so very much, but there are times...grrr!  LOL!  But this time, unlike when I let Annie win so easily, we want both cats using the same system before I move.  Blink has used the pellets for years.  I took it slowly and added the pellets to Allie's regular litter now for a couple of months, I think.  Increased slowly and all of that.  The wood pellets are sooo much cheaper and easier.  I know cats prefer to have something easier to dig in--so Blink might reject the pellets if we have both available, you know?  We need to make the switch with this old lady cat.  (Allie's somewhere around 9 or older.)  If you think teaching an old dog new tricks is hard...try an old cat--LOL! ;)

Allie.  Allie.  Allie.  
This battle has just begun.  

Anyways, McFamily is on the mend again.  Still drizzling outside.  Allie is curled up in my lap.  Being lovey because she knew I was upset with her.  Wants to know we are okay.  We are.  For now--lol!

I will probably get me some drawing pens and bring the art journal out here to doodle on tonight.  If I do, I'll add a picture.  Not because it looks good--more as proof that I actually do have enough extra energy sometimes to play around with art again--ROFL! ;)  And THAT is exciting to me. :)

That's it for this week's adventures.  Till next time...  :) :)

Okay--Sunday night--midnight...
I was doodling away...
...when I saw Allie squatting in the corner of the pantry!  Yes--she peed in the corner!  
I cleaned it up--plus the bottom of a couple pairs of shoes.

Things are not going well.

I put a small amount of her old kitty litter in her old litter box--so they are both there right now.

We are on the outs...needless to say.  

Hate to end on a bad note, but this is how the switching litter adventure is going.  Annie was older, too, when we tried switching her.  Blink was a young cat and adapted quickly.  Not sure if this is going to work.  

Boy!  Am I ever glad I shut her out of the other two rooms.  

Well, I have to go spray the zero odor stuff all over that corner...and double check the donation box that was sitting on the floor, too.  *sigh*

12 comments:

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Who knew that kitty litter could occupy someone’s life to such an extent?

DJan said...

I sure hope you get it under control with Allie. No fun to have cat pee and poop where they are not supposed to! But you do seem to be doing pretty well, considering, otherwise. Sending lots of love your way, and Allie's too.

Sandra said...

Try spraying the pellets with water. It breaks them down but it's still absorbent. I used pellets in the horse stalls for a few years. Then, after she is comfortable with the new litter add a few pellets in, increasing over time until it becomes normal to her. Hopefully.

Rita said...

Sandra, Thanks! I will try that. :)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Just a thought, turn the pellet box sideways she may not like the side entrance. Some cats hate change...its scary

Rita said...

Connie, I will try shifting the new box, too. Thanks! :)

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Oh howl lovely the baby bunnies showing up each night.

I hope Allie isn't to stubborn when it comes to using the news litter box with the pellets, never heard of plastic pellets but then I don't have cats, it would be annoying Allie not using the new litter box

DVArtist said...

Cats get use to things and don't want to change. Love you doodling, more like art to me. I am so sick of the rain. Can't wait for some dry days. Have a great evening.

Deb J. in Utah said...

Wow, the new litter box is really fancy, but apparently not to Allie's liking. We had much the same thing happen with the last cat we had - Mr. Kitty was his name. Our of the blue, he started pooping on my son's bed. Yuck. This is why we haven't had a cat for several years since Mr. Kitty passed over the rainbow bridge. I hope you have a good week. See you again soon!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

When I first got Squiggles, he LIVED in the sandbox for a few weeks. I had to time it so he was fed, then clean the box. He had some kind of fear and believed the sandbox was the only place he felt secure. Now he hides when he hears the door open. I hope you are able to eventually train Allie to like those pellets. I just remember how hard it was to litter train Bleubeard. That cat had no idea what a sandbox was for. A couple of friends asked what I wanted for Christmas and I said to get Bleubeard to use a sandbox. It isn't just old ones that have litter box issues. I wish you luck.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

I can understand your frustration, Rita, as years ago I adopted a cat who sadly had a similar "issue." I knew going in that he had been "labeled" as not using the litter box properly, but decided to take a chance. Unfortunately, being at work during the day and returning home to find that he had not used the litter box became unacceptable. A vet suggested drugs, but instead I contacted the shelter and after explaining the situation was told to bring him back, regretfully I did just that. Hopefully, the suggestions offered by other bloggers will help your situation or perhaps you may have to have 2 differernt types of litter. Cats can be difficult and rather stubborn and this may becomequite the battle, Rita.

Glad to read about the bunnies and also that you are greening up as is the same here in Nashua, NH.

Jeanie said...

I hate to say and suggest it but if she keeps using the corner, I'm recommending the puppy pads. Yes, I admit defeat. But at least it keeps the carpet/flooring clean. Lizzie is bad only in one spot -- about 50-60 percent of the time. (Poops in the box, usually will do at least one pee in the box but if it's not scooped right away -- and she's so quiet, sometimes I don't know she's gone -- it's back to the pads (which are RIGHT NEXT TO THE BOX! I've had somewhat better luck with some litter called Dr. Elsee "Attract" (there are several kinds -- Attract is for litter box issues.) It IS better with that -- but far from flawless!

I so feel your pain.